Suggested answer for Exercise 3
In order to determine the subcategory of the verbs in the sentences, the characteristics of different verb types are listed first.
| Unaccusative verbs: | ||
| One argument | ||
| Theme argument | ||
| There construction possible | ||
| Locative inversion construction possible | ||
| Locative inversion + there construction possible | ||
| Ergative verbs: | ||
| One argument | ||
| Theme/patient argument | ||
| There construction not possible | ||
| Locative inversion construction not possible | ||
| Transitive usage possible | ||
| Transitive verbs: | ||
| Two arguments | ||
| Agent/experiencer and patient/theme arguments | ||
| Passivisation possible | ||
| Intransitive verbs: | ||
| One argument | ||
| Agent/experiencer argument | ||
| Cognate object possible | ||
| No passivisation (at least in English) | ||
| Multiple complement verbs: | ||
| More than two (usually three) arguments | ||
| Dative alternation possible | ||
| Locative structure |
Based on these features and distributional criteria, subcategories of verbs can be determined and their syntactic structure can be also provided.
Since the exercise focuses only on the subcategorisation frames of the verbs they appear in an uninflected form in the trees.
| a | A face appeared behind the window. |
theme argument
There appeared a face behind the window.
Behind the window a face appeared.
Behind the window there appeared a face.
→ unaccusative
| b | Susan sang. |
agent argument
Susan sang a song.
→ intransitive
| c | Michael moved my map from the middle. |
three arguments
→ multiple complement verb
| d | The bomb blew up. |
patient argument
*There blew up the bomb.
*In the prison blew up the bomb.
The terrorists blew up the bomb.
→ ergative verb
| e | Larry laughed. |
agent argument
Larry laughed a cruel laugh.
→ intransitive
| f | Kevin killed Karen. |
agent and patient arguments
Karen was killed by Kevin.
→ transitive
| g | Ben brought a bulldog for Betty. |
three arguments
→ multiple complement verb
| h | Norah knows Nick. |
experiencer and theme arguments
→ transitive
| i | The boat sank. |
patient argument
*There sank the boat.
*In the Atlantic sank the boat.
The pirates sank the boat.
→ ergative verb
| j | A letter lay on the table. |
theme argument
There lay a train on the table.
On the table a letter lay.
On the table there lay a letter.
→ unaccusative
| k | The window opened. |
theme argument
*There opened the window.
*In the room opened the window.
The guests opened the window.
→ ergative verb
| l | A train arrived at the station. |
theme argument
There arrived a train at the station.
At the station a train arrived.
At the station there arrived a train.
→ unaccusative
| m | Walt watered the flowers. |
agent and patient arguments
The flowers were watered by Walt.
→ transitive
| n | Dick died. |
experiencer argument
Dick died a terrible death.
→ intransitive
| o | Gary gave Greg a gift. |
three arguments
Gary gave a gift to Greg.
→ multiple complement verb